Gopalpur: The Army Air Defence College (AADC), one of the youngest corps of the Indian Army, at Gopalpur-on-sea is undergoing a major transformation as far as technological advancements and countering modern air threat are concerned.
Lt Gen AP Singh, Commandant of the AADC told visiting media persons on the completion of 25 years of its existence Friday that till now ZU 23 MM guns, Schilka self propelled gun and LGLA weapon system, which was the mainstay of the AD arsenal system till now, has changed with the introduction of the latest Akash weapon system heralding a modernising drive for the Air Defence warriors.
The Commandant said Air Defence was the given status of an independent corps January1, 1994 following which it established its own training college for officers and centre for jawans at Gopalpur after bifurcating from the school of Artillery in Deolali, Maharashtra.
He said the college is imparting training about modern air threats like from unmanned drones to beyond visual range arrangements and how to counter them.
Lt Gen Singh said new radars and missile firing system like Akash and Fly Catcher have been inducted and some others are in the pipeline.
Men and officers kept abreast of all the latest technologies in the college arsenal through various compulsory and competitive courses besides regular exercise.
The college which imparts training to Army, Air Force, Navy, CRPF and CISF personnel of the country and also to defence personnel of 20 Asian and African friendly countries including Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Mozambique and Rwanda has emerged as a centre of excellence on all ground-based air defence weapons.
Lt Gen Singh said officers and men hone their skills in the warfare of the air defence in the well laid out equipment parks and classroom equipped with guns and radars like flycatcher, upgraded SFM and their acquired knowledge on the weapon system during the training is tested in the actual battle like situation.
He said a war like situation is created through simulation and the trainees were trained on how to overcome the obstacles in nine minutes through the assault course.
With its motto ‘Akashe Shatrun Jahi’ (no enemy can dare venture in our skies), the AADC in a demonstration exhibited how it can knock down enemy aircraft venturing into the Indian sky within seconds.
